Paul Naumoff

Scott Kupperman

Founder, Kupperman Location Solutions

Stephen Gray

CEO, Gray Construction

Amazon Plans To Open Two Fulfillment Centers In California

Area Development News Desk

05/14/2012

Amazon.com will occupy new fulfillment centers in San Bernardino and Patterson, California, totaling 2 million square feet that will create more than 1,000 jobs.

Hillwood and Clarion Partners announced that Amazon will occupy more than 950,000 square foot under development as part of the Alliance California project in San Bernardino, California. The joint venture began construction on the facility earlier this year and the massive Internet retailer is expected to take occupancy as early as this fall. Hillwood will serve as the developer and landlord for the facility on Central Avenue east of Tippecanoe Avenue.

Meanwhile, USAA Real Estate Co. will develop a fulfillment center of about 1-million square feet in Patterson, California, a city along Interstate 5 in the Modesto metro area. Amazon will not take occupancy of the facility until second quarter 2013.

Both the Hillwood/Clarion JV and USAA will serve as developers and landlords for the projects, leasing the respective buildings to Golden State FC LLC, which will operate the fulfillment centers for Amazon.

"We've been planning to develop this property for some time, and we're thrilled that Amazon will be moving in after the facility is completed," said John Magness, Hillwood senior vice president. More than 1,000 jobs will be created in San Bernadino.

In the second quarter of 2012 Amazon will create "hundreds of full time jobs with benefits" in Patterson, California, when the facility begins shipping to customers, said Dave Clark, Amazon vice president, global customer fulfillment. The center will be located in West Ridge Business Park.

"We appreciate USAA Real Estate Company's hard work, the support from Governor Brown and state and local officials, and we look forward to creating hundreds of full time jobs with benefits in Patterson when the facility begins shipping to customers in 2013," Clark added.

"We're pleased to be making this investment in Patterson and look forward to Amazon moving in when the facility is completed in the second quarter of 2013," said USAA Real Estate Company Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Pat Duncan. "We appreciate the support of local and state leaders throughout this project and USAA is excited about being a part of the community."

According to public records, as part of an incentive package, the state will allow Amazon to defray its collection of sales sales taxes until 2013, because of its job creation.